Any alternative to morphine after surgery?

Has anyone had the experience of being completely off pain medication during the first week after a TAH? If so, what was the experience like?

I believe that removing pain is desirable on strictly medical grounds. Is this correct?

Surely pain interferes with sleeping, but nausea interferes with taking in and keeping in fluids and food, which is at least as important. And vomiting stresses the abdomen, does it not?

i was off pain meds by a week - i only took paracetamol for day 5 and 6 anyway. Nothing really hurt so i didn't need them - just felt like i'd had a good work out at the gym.
The docs like to remove your pain so you mobilize soon after surgery - lessening chances of blood clots and speeding recovery. Not all pain meds make you feel sick - and you can be given very effective anti-nausea stuff if necesary.
I got trapped wind the first night after surgery - gave a large belch and chucked up the cup of tea i had just drunk - it was no big deal.
Good luck with your surgery - try not to stress too much about how you might feel - you might be like me, after the first six hours it really wasn't too big a deal.
Take care
Chicky

oh - and you dont need food and drink if you don't feel like it for the first day or two - that's what the iv drip is there for.

Well I am 4 days post-op and noticing now that I don't "NEED" the Vicodin every 3-4 hours. Stretching time out a bit. But I know when I first came home and slept through the time I was supposed to take a Vicodin, the pain woke me up like someone punched me in the stomach. That time I needed 2 because I was so scared and it hurt so much. The medicines in the hospital only made me a little nauseous and they gave me something for it. I know I itched a lot in the hospital--all my visitors noticed me itching, but everytime I looked, there was no rash or hives so I figured it was minor and nothing to worry about. The itching is gone now that I'm home. Oh, and my first 8 hours after surgery I wasn't allowed to eat or drink anything! They had me on the IV so I was ok. Had to pee a lot. Boy, when it was Jello time, that was great. Never thought Jello and broth could taste so good!

I am 4 days post-op from a TVH and still using Vicodin on occasion. I've never really taken it as much as directed, but I've also been sleeping ALOT.

I know I worried alot about the pain meds and even ask for no morphine. They gave me Toradol and Demerol pca pump instead of morphine. My surgery was at 10:30am and I was able to sit-up and start walking around by 4:30pm!
I hope this helps you with your decision about your pain medication!
Good Luck with your surgery!

Whoops...he he. I guess I'm 5 days post-op. Maybe that Vicodin is still affecting me! What the heck, I've got 6 to 8 weeks of "it doesn't matter what day it is!!"